The present invention relates to agricultural planters and, more particularly, to reduced impact loading of agricultural material into planter bins.
Vast agricultural fields commonly are planted with multi-row planters that discharge seed at appropriate intervals into rows formed in the fields. These planters typically include a number of bins with a top portion designed for loading from above and for carrying a significant amount of seed and a bottom portion adapted to discharge the seed from the top portion for planting.
For efficient planting, it is important for these bins to be large enough to carry an adequate amount of desired seed to avoid downtime associated with loading. In some instances, these bins must be relatively large to accommodate larger seed types, such as potato seed which, in essence, are sliced potato portions. Thus, it is not uncommon for potato planters to have bins as tall as three to five feet.
To load these larger planter bins, a conveyor, auger or other type of transfer device is commonly used to deliver seed from a truck or other supply source. The transfer device then drops the seed into the bin from above through the open top and onto a metal or rubberized surface in the bin.
With these relatively larger bins, it has been found that the loading impact from this significant fall tends to bruise and otherwise damages the seed and enhances the probability of seed piece decay. This is a particular problem with larger, more delicate type seed, such as potato seed. As a result, seed efficiency is significantly reduced which, in turn, causes the cost of planting and the resultant produce to rise.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method for loading relatively large planter bins to address these loading impact concerns. The present invention provides an efficient and cost-effective system that lessens damage caused by impact during loading of the seed using conventional transfer devices.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus and method for reduced impact loading. The loading apparatus includes a door movable between a lower position and an upper position. A guide mounts the door at the bin and provides a predetermined path between the lower and upper positions. A drive is used to selectively vary the position of the door along the path in response to accumulation to minimize impact force on the material as it is being loaded from a predetermined distance above the door.
The predetermined path may be substantially vertical between the lower and upper positions. The guide also may include a pair of spaced rails to guide movement of the door along the path. Further, the rails may each define a channel along the path, and the door may be provided with rollers that roll in the channel as the door is selectively moved along the path.
The apparatus may further include an actuator arm between the drive and the door. The drive would then selectively actuate the arm to raise and lower the door along the path. A support structure may also be provided for mounting the drive and actuator arm. The actuator arm would be pivotally mounted to the support structure and to the door. The drive may be connected to the actuator arm intermediate the pivotal mounting to the support structure and the door. The actuator arm may define a slot that allows the arm to move arcuately relative to the door as the door moves along the path.
The apparatus may further include a control device in communication with the drive to selectively activate the drive. The control device may coordinate with material accumulation to vary the door along the path.
In another form, there is provided an agricultural loading apparatus for a planter bin to reduce impact on agricultural material loaded with a transfer device having a discharge end portion. The apparatus includes a receptacle having a side wall that defines a loading port capable of receiving a discharge end portion of an agricultural material transfer device to facilitate loading of the receptacle through the side wall at varying heights.
The assembly also includes a door at the loading port which is movable along a predetermined path to selectively expose and cover the loading port. A guide mounting the door at the loading port provides the predetermined path. The apparatus includes a drive for selectively moving the door along the path in response to accumulation of agricultural material during loading of the receptacle through the loading port.
The guide may include a pair of spaced rails to guide the door along the predetermined path. The predetermined path may be substantially vertical. Loading of the receptacle may be done through the loading port with a discharge end portion of an agricultural transfer device at a predetermined distance relative to the door. The door is then movable vertically as agricultural material accumulates in the receptacle. The apparatus also may include a control device to coordinate movement of the door with agricultural material accumulation.
There also is provided a method of reduced impact loading of material into a bin. The method includes providing a bin with a side wall defining an access opening for loading the bin at various vertical heights and a bottom portion extending from the side wall. The method also includes providing a door slidably mounted at the access opening of the bin. The door is movable along a predetermined path between a lower position at initial loading to maximize the access opening and selectively to varying upper positions above the lower position as the bin is being loaded to close the access opening. The door is moved to the lower position for initial loading to minimize loading impact. A material dispenser is provided with a discharge end portion extended into the bin through the access opening over the door and at a predetermined distance above the bottom portion of the bin.
The method also includes selectively raising the discharge end portion in the bin as material accumulates in the bin during loading to maintain the discharge end portion within a predetermined distance range above material generally accumulating in the bin. The method further includes selectively raising the door to varying positions above the lower position to close the access opening as material accumulates in the bin.
The predetermined distance may be generally less than eighteen (18) inches above the bottom portion of the bin at initial loading and thereafter, above the material generally accumulating in the bin after initial loading. The steps of selectively raising the discharge end portion and the door may be generally coordinated contemporaneously as material accumulates in the bin.
The method also may include the steps of measuring material accumulation and sending a signal representing the measurement to selectively raise the door as material accumulates in the bin. The method further may include the step of selectively raising both the discharge end portion and the door generally contemporaneously in response to the measurement of material accumulation.